Police: Burglar ransacks Rutherford home arrested at Cape May wedding

Before cruising down the shore for a weekend wedding, a burglar allegedly busted into a Rutherford home and ransacked the place, but apparently made off with nothing, according to Rutherford police.

Police arrested Paterson resident Nicholas Devenio, 32, after he allegedly broke into a Hobart Avenue residence with the intent to steal from the home. Security footage of Devenio captured in the midst of the crime allowed police to track him all the way down to the Jersey shore town of Cape May.

The family dog walker for the victim reported the break in to the police at 12:02 p.m. on Sept. 20, according to a report from Rutherford Police. Devenio apparently broke the glass window pane of the home’s back door to gain entrance into the residence, according to police. The alleged burglar combed through the residence and was captured on video by the victim’s security system.

Police presume he was searching for cash and jewelry. "He was probably looking for something to grab onto," Chief John R. Russo said. The victim has yet to report any missing or stolen property.

The Bergen County Sherriff’s Bureau of Criminal Investigations responded to the scene while a detective from Rutherford obtained a photo from the victim’s video footage.

Numerous tips from officers and civilians came into the police, which resulted in the identification of Devenio as the alleged burglar.

Information from the tipsters suggested he made the trip down to Cape May to attend a wedding.

Cape May police arrested the accused at 12:37 a.m. on Sept. 21 at the hotel where the wedding was being held, according to the records clerk at the Cape May City Police Department. The Rutherford department dispatched its own officer to bring Devenio back to the borough.

Rutherford police charged Devenio later that day with third-degree burglary, as well as fourth-degree criminal mischief for breaking the window pane. Police define burglary as the unlicensed entry into someone’s residence with the intent to commit a crime. The criminal mischief charge meets those criteria though police also believe that Devenio planned to steal from the Hobart Avenue home.

Devenio also faces a disorderly person’s charge for possessing burglary tools. Russo said the tape caught the burglar using a metal tool to break into the backdoor. Though police could not find the tool, Devenio described the item to police as a piece of metal manipulated for gaining entry into homes.

A Rutherford judge slapped a $50,000 bond with a 10-percent option on the accused for the charges.

Devenio also faced two other charges, one in Lyndhurst for improper behavior and another in Fort Lee for theft by deception. Judges from those districts added a total of $750 to the total bail.

Devenio was transported to the Bergen County jail on Sept. 21. He faced a judge from the Bergen County Superior Court who made no changes to his charges or his bail, according to a spokesperson from the county sheriff’s office.